Sweet Revenge
by KaydenceRei
Summary: DISCONTINUED.
1. Just Another Bad Night

**Disclaimer**: I guess I own the bad guys. But what else is new?

**Author's Note**: Just a strange idea that I decided to go with. Hope you all enjoy it.

**Chapter 1**: Just Another Bad Night

Everything seemed normal that day. Then again.. things seemed normal most days. This was one of those days that started great, but ended horribly.

Elliot and Olivia had arrested a rapist. One they'd been trying to nail for about a month now. A man named Lex Manning. He'd been arrested for the rape of three women and the attempted rape of another.

Olivia looked up as a man walked in. She would have asked if he needed help, but he seemed to know exactly where he was going as he began to converse with someone else in the squad room. She shrugged a bit and looked back down at the paperwork on her desk and began filling it out again.

A few moments later the doors to the squad room opened again. She looked up and thought nothing of it. A uniform had walked in talking to someone about something. Just a second later another man walked in. Olivia raised an eyebrow up in curiosity. This one seemed a little confused. She looked at Elliot and he simply shrugged as if to say, 'Your turn.'

She sighed and stood up. Then she walked over to the man in the doorway of the squad room and gave him a small smile.

"Is there anything I can help you with sir? My name is Detective Benson," she told him.

He seemed to be debating it for a moment. After a moment he simply nodded.

"I uh.." he looked around.

"Would you like to talk some place less crowded?" she asked him.

He nodded again. "That'd be great, thanks."

Olivia smiled and led the man into one of the interrogation rooms. She turned to shut the door and that was when she felt it. All too familiar. A gun barrel at the back of her head. She would have yelled. Or done something. But she didn't have the chance to. He'd shoved a piece of cloth into her mouth and then tied it around her face so she couldn't get it out. All she could do was make a few muffled noises.

"Let's go say hi to your fellow detectives shall we Miss Benson?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Olivia muffled out a few more noises before jamming her foot back into his shin. She tried to get to the door quickly, but only felt the barrel of the gun hit the back of her head and she fell to the floor.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot stood up from his chair at his desk. He decided to see how Olivia was doing with the man who had come into the squad room a few minutes ago. Someone needed to be watching it anyways.

He was making his way over when the door the to interrogation room that she had gone in opened. He froze on the spot. So did everyone else.

Olivia was unconscious. The man who she had brought into the room holding her up with a gun to her head. It was late to begin with and there weren't many people in the squad room. Two uniforms, three men who were conversing with the uniforms and another man who had been asking John Munch a question. Fin, Casey and the Captain had been in the office discussing a case. The silence brought them out though and they were surprised by the sight they saw.

Not only was there one man with a gun. But there were four of them. Two out of the three men that had been chatting with the uniform were now holding guns to the uniform and third man. The other that had been talking with John now had a gun aimed at him.

"What do you people expect to gain from any of this?" Cragen asked.

His eyes were focused on the man holding onto an unconscious Olivia. Not only was she unconscious but she had a cloth tied into her mouth that had probably kept her from calling out to anyone.

"I expect you to take my brother out of your little jail cell," the man holding onto Olivia stated.

Elliot glanced around the room. "Who's your brother?"

"Lex Manning," he replied.

Elliot cast a glance in his captain's direction.

Cragen wasn't sure how to deal with this situation. He didn't think anyone would know how to do that. How many times is there actually a hostage situation in a station house?

"You know we can't just take him out of lock-up."

The man looked annoyed. "I don't care. If you don't then I'll just blow Miss Benson's pretty little head off."

"Aww come on Jay, don't do that," the man by John said. "Her head's too pretty to shoot. We can have other methods of fun."

All eyes not belonging to any of the men with guns widened at what had just been said.

Elliot's eyes were practically pleading with his captain now.

Cragen caught Elliot's look. "You have to let my detective go first. You've already done enough to her."

"No," Jay replied. "Go get my brother or I'll take your detective as my own little toy and leave."

Cragen looked over at the uniform in the room. He nodded to him slightly.

"He's got the keys to lock-up," Cragen told Jay. "He'll go get your brother out of his cell."

Jay nodded a bit. He kept a tight hold on Olivia though. They had no plans on letting these people go. Especially not Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. And he had one in his grasps already.

Olivia slowly opened her eyes. Her head was pounding to say the least. Waking up to the feeling of a gun barrel to her temple wasn't exactly a good feeling either though. Her vision was more in tact now after a few seconds of adjusting and she felt sick at the sight of the whole squad room being held up. It was her fault.. She had been too stupid and wasn't on guard.

Elliot noticed that Olivia had woken up, but no one else seemed to at the moment. He quickly gave her a look that showed she should still pretend to be unconscious.

Too late. Jay noticed.

"Nice of you to join us again Miss Benson," Jay said with a small smile on his face.

The arm that Jay had wrapped around Olivia's neck now tightened and Olivia could feel herself losing her breath. She made muffled noises behind the gag and began squirming around in his grasp.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Elliot yelled out in anger and worry for his partner. "Put her down, you're going to kill her!"

Jay smiled but he didn't let up on his hold around Olivia's neck. He was enjoying choking the life out of her a little too much to just stop.

Casey stared in utter horror and disbelief at what was going on. How could this man be so sick and sadistic as to actually be choking Olivia when it was clear she couldn't speak out and she could hardly fight back at this point.

Olivia's face was draining of color and pretty soon the fighting back was beginning to stop as well.

"Let her go NOW," Cragen demanded of Jay. He watched as the uniform came over with Jay's brother Lex Manning. "You either let my detective go or I order one of these detectives to shoot your brother. A death for a death _Jay_."

Every single detective was surprised. But they had no doubt he really would order that command. And they also had no doubt that they'd all comply with it.

And that was the moment it happened. Jay tossed Olivia onto the ground by Elliot's feet and the uniform gave Lex a rough shove in his brother's direction.

Elliot knelt down by Olivia, quickly pulling the gag from her mouth. Almost instantly she was gasping for the air that she hadn't been getting.

"It's alright Liv.. you're alright," Elliot said to her in a hushed tone.

He pulled Olivia into his arms now. It was the best way he could think of to protect her at this point. His eyes glanced up from Olivia who was silent in his arms as she got her breath back. She'd almost died. Almost been murdered right in front of him and there would have been nothing he could have done to stop it. Cragen had saved her life.. There was no doubt in him. If Jay Manning had murdered Olivia. Cragen would have had Lex Manning shot.

But now what were they going to do? There were four men with guns. All had their guns trained on at least one person. But Jay had his trained on him and Olivia.

"You've got what you want," Cragen said to them. "Now get the hell out of this precinct."

A smiled creeped up on Jay's lips. And the other men were grinning as well as Lex.

"That's not all that we wanted," Jay said to the captain.

He pulled back the safety clip on the gun as he kept it pointed at Elliot and Olivia.

"There's two other things I need to take care of before I can leave you people. And those things are sitting right there."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

**I hope it wasn't a horrible first chapter. It's just starting up though, I promise! I'm not sure how many chapters it will go for. I never really know that. But hopefully I can come up with enough ideas for at least more then two chapters! Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. -Kay**


	2. Truth or Fiction?

**A/N**: My apologies for such a long and horrid wait for this update.. my ideas for lost for a little while and I've gotten less time to update. But with some inspiration and some 'Pinwheel' writing, I was able to get myself up and running on this story.

**Chapter 2**: Truth or Fiction?

Elliot knew he would rather die then allow this man, Jay, to kill Olivia. If that happened, it would have to happen over his dead body. Olivia was the only thing he had left going in his life. He wouldn't know what to do if he had wound up losing her a few moments ago. But now.. now there was a chance that everyone in the squad room died. A simple arrest could lead to the execution of every person working in the squad room tonight.

He remembered Lex Manning's words. He wished he'd have taken them seriously. But neither him nor Olivia believed what he'd said to them earlier that night.

"_Car one to car four!" Olivia yelled into the radio._

"_Go ahead car one," a voice over the radio replied._

_Olivia was staring ahead as Elliot cut off the man they were chasing. _

"_We've got Manning," she stated. "North corner of Birmingham and 22nd. Getting out of the car for pursuit on foot."_

_The voice on the radio responded. And with that. Elliot and Olivia got out of the car and began running after Lex Manning who'd gotten out of his car and started making a run for it._

_Elliot glanced at Olivia who had stopped and he wondered what she was doing. But then he noticed it. An alley way. It would lead to the next street. He nodded to her as she nodded her head into the alley and then in the direction he had been going originally. They split up. She'd gone into the alley way, gun drawn and he'd taken his gun and ran around the corner. He had a bad feeling about the split._

_Olivia didn't see anyone in the alley as she tried to make sure she looked all around so not to miss anything. Tried, she supposed, was the key word right there. She'd missed something. She figured that out the moment she felt someone push into her and hold her against the wall of the alley, causing her to drop her gun. Lucky for her, not so lucky for her attacker, she had good reflexes. The moment she lost the use of her arms, she kicked her leg back into his groin._

_That had gotten him to back off long enough for her to go for the dropped gun. Not long enough for her to grab it though. She felt his hand on her ankle and so she met his face with the toe of her foot. She got the gun now. And just as he was getting up she aimed the barrel directly at his face._

"_Alexander Manning," she said some-what courteously considering the situation. "Congratulations," she stated. "You're under arrest."_

_Elliot was just running up to her from the opposite direction in the alley._

"_You good Liv?" he questioned as he looked at her._

_Olivia nodded as Elliot pulled Manning up and placed the cuffs on his wrists._

"_Then let's book him," Elliot stated as they pulled him out of the alley._

"_You pigs are going to regret this," Manning yelled as he struggled against Elliot. "You're going to regret this more then anything, especially your little girlfriend here Detective," he spat out to Elliot._

Elliot pulled Olivia's body up against his more as Jay cocked the hammer of the gun. The man seemed to have no intention of leaving until him and Olivia were dead, that was clear to them all.

"Don't worry, I'll make it quick and painless for you both," Jay stated with a smile. "Right to the head. Instant deathly pleasure."

Olivia's eyes widened slightly and she pulled out of Elliot's grasp. She had to do something to get everyone out safe. She had to do something to make this all right again.

"Don't.." she told Jay. "Don't hurt anyone and you can take me with you," she said quickly, before anyone could stop her.

Jay stopped mid-ready to shoot. He was interested.

"You can't hurt them.. and I'll go one my own, I'll walk right out the door with you," she told him.

"Olivia!" Elliot yelled. "Jesus, don't do this."

Cragen and the others were saying the same thing, telling Olivia to stop. But she didn't.

"Just say yes.." she told him. "And I'm yours."

Jay Manning raised an eyebrow up in response. He was thinking it over a few seconds before a smile protruded on his lips.

"You have yourself a deal, Olivia."

Olivia glanced back at Elliot and her eyes softened slightly at the look of horror on his face. She hated to see such a distorted look on him, or on anyone else in the room. But if she hadn't done what she did just then, she would never get to see those faces again.

"Let's go," Jay said.

He grabbed Olivia's hand and pulled her up to her feet before leading her towards the door. He simply smiled at everyone in the room.

"Let's pack it up boys," Jay said. "I made a deal, and I don't go back on my word."

The men kept the guns trained on people in the room as they backed out the door following Jay and Olivia.

If Elliot had been aware he might not see her again, that Manning wouldn't be caught, he might have done something differently that night. But instead, he only found himself with the ability to stare after them all as he sat silently on the ground with a look of horror and shock on his face.

&&&&&&&&&&&

_Five years later.._

Olivia had never been found. She'd been presumed dead. They had done full-out searches for her for months, but it had appeared Jay Manning had slipped off the face of the Earth, taking Olivia with him.

Munch, though he'd never admit it by continuously coming in like it was still his job, had retired. There were some things even grown men didn't like to admit. Being old was one of them. Having to retire because of their age, was another.

Fin and Elliot now partnered together. Neither wanted to break in a new person, instead, the new guy was currently alone. He'd lasted a year or so now, Lance Perry was his name. He wasn't bad. Didn't get overly involved, but he did care. That was what he needed to be in the unit. Munch tended to sit across from him and spout off his ideas for conspiracy theories. Lance had learned quickly though. Smile and nod, and Munch wouldn't notice you weren't listening.

The phone rang.

"Stabler, Special Victims Unit."

He talked with the person over the phone for another minute or two before thanking them and hanging up.

"Got a domestic. Neighbors are complaining about their married neighbors fighting with each other, afraid it might turn violent," he told Fin.

Fin nodded. "I'm in. Should we bring Perry?"

Elliot shrugged and glanced over at Lance.

"It's just a domestic, let him finish his own work," he stated with a shrug of his shoulders.

Fin nodded again and they headed out the door.

&&&&&&&&&

"So what's the name of the family?" Fin questioned.

"The woman said they'd only just moved in. They hadn't talked to their neighbors yet and didn't know names, but the fight didn't sound like something they should let continue onward."

Fin groaned. "I hate this shit. If you can't deal with each other, why the hell bother staying married?"

Elliot shrugged. He was divorced. He had no real clue. Even before, him and Kathy had never gotten into fights that would cause a neighbor to worry.

They pulled up to the house and up to the door. They were about to knock when it opened, and a four-year-old girl was staring up at them with big gray eyes and dark brown hair in a pony-tail.

"Whooer you?" she asked, her words mixing together a little.

It caused a smile to break onto Elliot's face.

"We're looking for your parents sweetie, can you get them for me?" he asked the little girl.

She merely shook her head.

"Why not?" Fin asked.

She shrugged. "Not suppose to when Daddy is mad, Momma says to stay outta the room."

Elliot and Fin looked at each other.

"Where's the room?" Elliot asked her.

She pointed. "Back of the house."

Elliot smiled. "And what's your name?"

"Dawn," the little girl said with a grin. "Momma says I boo.. uh.. bewt.. uhm.. pretty like the sky at Dawn," she explained, unable to say the word beautiful right.

"Well then Dawn, keep being a good girl and stay here while we go talk to your mommy and daddy," he told the little girl who nodded and sat down on the chair she had probably been sitting at before they came.

They slowly made their way towards the room at the very back of the house and went to knock when voices from the room interrupted them.

"Stop squirming around so much and maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad," the man said."

"Well Christ," the woman's voice said. "Maybe if you weren't drowning me with it, I wouldn't squirm!"

"God damn it, sit down and shut up already."

Elliot and Fin glanced at each other before Elliot simply opened the door.

"What the hell?" said the husband as he looked up, holding a bottle of peroxide.

The instant he saw Elliot he recognized him. And vice versa.

"Get the hell out of my house."

Elliot was about to speak when the woman behind him stood and moved enough for him to see her. It was Olivia. Add five years onto her, but she still looked as beautiful as she ever did.

Olivia froze at the sight of Elliot and her mouth hung open slightly. She had thought she'd never see him again. And personally, now that she did see him, she wasn't sure what to do.

"I don't care why you're here Detective Stabler, but the past is over, and presently, my wife and I have nothing to say to you," Jay Manning stated.

**&&&&&&&&&&**

**Dun dun dun.. so.. I got some inspiration finally, how did it work out? Was it good? Bad? I sure hope it was good. I liked the idea and decided to run with it, as I was out of any others.**

**Hope you enjoy. I should be able to get more up now that I have ideas to run with. And of course.. I'm always open to hearing the ideas of my reviewers if you have some.**

**-Kay**


	3. Only High Above Your Head

**A/N**: I'm a little into this story now. Hope you guys are too:)

**Chapter 3**: It's Only High When It's Above Your Head

**SPECIAL: This chapter was RE-updated, due to problems people were having with getting it open. Reviewing, and other such nonsense as this. As annoying as I find it, hopefully this helps you guys get to the whole thing.**

Olivia followed after Elliot and Fin, who currently were leading Jay into the squad room. She was holding Dawn's hand and had been silent the whole ride to the precinct.

"I'll bet you abused Olivia, didn't you?" Elliot asked Jay as they sat him down in one of the chairs.

Everyone was looking at them. More at Olivia then at everyone else.

John Munch's eyes widened. Then he glanced at the little girl attached to Olivia's side. It wasn't right for the scene to take place in front of her. He stood up and walked over to Olivia, trying to hide his excitement at seeing her. He noticed her looking at him, and he nodded down at the little girl.

Olivia glanced down at Dawn before giving her hand to John and watching him take her daughter out of the squad room without question. Then her gaze shifted to Jay.

Jay seemed a little angry at the comment, but said nothing.

"Did you abuse your daughter too?" Elliot questioned. "Did you abuse Dawn?"

Olivia could see the reaction building in Jay's face. She moved towards him quickly.

Jay stood to his feet and pulled his arm back, ready to punch Elliot. He only stopped when he felt someone's hand over his fist, and he turned his face to see Olivia standing there. He should have been pissed that she'd grabbed him the way she did. But instead he was grateful. In her own way, she'd actually helped him, and he knew that.

Olivia put her hand back down at her side, still silent as she watched Fin lead Jay into an interrogation room. She still said nothing, ignoring the looks of everyone in the precinct.

Elliot walked up to her now. He had no idea what to actually say to her. It had been five years. Five years of thinking he'd never see her again and yet here she was.

"Olivia?" he questioned, almost unsure if he should have said anything at all.

The distant look in Olivia's eyes faded as she glanced at Elliot. They softened slightly at the look on his face. She couldn't help her first reaction now that she was right in front of him. Almost instantly she stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head down on his chest.

Elliot's face was a mixture of shock and uncertainty. He had no idea what to do now. So he simply wrapped his arms around her in return and held her. He could feel her shaking, and he was almost sure she was crying. But looking down at her face, there were no tears. Was it even possible to cry and not have tears?

Cragen opened the door of his office and looked around. Every member of the room was staring at something, or someone. He was about to say something when the two someone's caught his eye. And he was shocked at seeing Elliot embracing Olivia.

After a couple more seconds, Olivia pulled away from Elliot. Everything was catching up to her.

Elliot was almost disappointed at the sudden lack of contact with Olivia. The embrace from her was gone almost as quickly as it had come. He couldn't quite understand why she wasn't happy to see him, or to see any of them for that matter. Or maybe he just didn't understand why she wasn't simply happy to be out of Jay Manning's house in the first place. The look in her eyes told him the she was glad, but her reaction after the hug told him that she wasn't, and regretted it.

Olivia looked anywhere but at Elliot at this point. She felt bad, but she knew better. Jay Manning was not a man you wanted to deceive, and she wasn't about to put her daughter in danger for anything. Dawn was worth her life and so much more, which was why she said what she did next.

"I want to take Dawn home," she stated bluntly, to no one in particular.

Cragen stepped forward.

"Olivia.. we just need you to answer some questions before we take you somewhere safe," he told her.

He knew he didn't have to tell her. She should have known the drill. Five years wouldn't have made her forget 8 years in this unit. Nothing made you forget all of those horrors you've seen.

Olivia gave Cragen a look that seemed to mock genuine confusion. In truth, she knew what he was saying. But she couldn't let him do it.. she couldn't take the chance.

"Somewhere safe?" she questioned. "I'm going back to the house I live in, sir," she told him. "And there's nothing that I need to answer."

Cragen wasn't sure how to reply to what Olivia just said to him. He had expected her to accept the idea, and to willingly answer any of there questions. He lost all focus when she stated that she wanted to go back to Jay Manning's house, and that she wasn't going to answer their questions.

"If you don't want to answer questions about the other subject, you still need to answer them about the call we got from your neighbors today about yelling," Fin stated, trying his best to be friendly, and still be on-task with their work.

She turned and raised an eyebrow as John walked back in holding Dawn's hand. A small smile graced her lips as the girl happily played with him at what had been John's old desk.

But everyone stared as Dawn got up on top of the desk.

"Dawn!" she yelled. "Get down from th--"

Dawn giggled. "CALABUNGA DUDE!" she yelled, and jumped off the desk and onto John's lap.

Olivia's mocha eyes were bigger then a saucer for a moment before she breathed out a sigh of relief. She shook her head slightly and walked over to Dawn and John and gave John a small smile before squatting down to be eye-level with her daughter who was sitting in his lap.

"What did mommy tell you about jumping off of high places?" she questioned her daughter.

Dawn whined. "But it wasn't high!"

Olivia held back a smile. "What does mommy consider high?" she asked.

"Anything over my head.." the little girl stated.

Olivia chuckled. "That's a girl."

Dawn pouted her lower lip out and folded her arms across her chest.

John smirked and tapped the little girl on her shoulder, and when she looked up at him, he looked down at her like he did nothing at all.

"You did that!" she said with a giggle.

John looked shocked. "I would never!"

"Did too!" she said back.

"Did not," John stated defiantly.

Olivia looked amused at the two.

"He'll never change.." Elliot muttered under his breath.

Olivia stood and turned to look at Fin and Elliot.

"You can ask your questions.. but afterwords I'm leaving."

Elliot and Fin looked at their captain. They hoped he had some other plan to help Olivia, but he seemed to be drawing blanks. Fin's temporary reason to keep her there, wasn't going to last very long.

It would just have to do though.

&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot sat across from Olivia. He wasn't alone with her, Fin was also in the room, standing by the door. And everyone knew that Cragen was standing and watching in through the mirror.

"Want to tell us what happened today?" Elliot asked her.

"No," Olivia stated bluntly.

Elliot nearly froze in response. He opened his mouth to speak, but Olivia spoke first.

"But I will," she told him.

Elliot nodded numbly.

"The same thing that happens almost every day," Olivia told him. "I screw something up, he gets mad, and we start yelling at each other."

Elliot frowned. "He hit you."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at him.

"No."

Elliot's frown grew. She was reacting like a victim. He could see that she didn't want to admit these things to him. It was like she was throwing out the pride she'd had from five years ago if she did so.

"Then why do you have a cut on your arm?" Fin asked, speaking up now.

Olivia stared down at the table.

"I fell."

Elliot and Fin were silent.

"You're going to have to come up with a better excuse then that if you want us to believe you," Cragen stated as he walked into the room. "Exactly how many times have you fallen?"

Olivia stared at him, not entirely sure how she should respond. Elliot and Fin didn't really intimidate her, but she'd never really handled an interrogation from her captain very well, he most certainly was back then, and still was, a very intimidating man.

Elliot and Fin stared at Cragen as well. They weren't used to him just walking into their interrogations, and they certainly hadn't expected him to say what he did to Olivia.

"I don't know what you mean.." she stated quietly. "I have to go now."

Cragen's look softened as he watched Olivia stand up and walk towards him to go out the door. He stepped in front of her, and before she could do anything, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her like a father would.

Olivia looked surprised, but she didn't pull away. She bit down on her lower lip before she brought her hands up and returned his embrace. It was something she'd never done when it concerned her captain. They'd never hugged each other. It was like an unspoken settlement that she had considered him a father while he considered her his daughter. She'd never put much credit to the thought until now though.

Cragen quietly let go of her and stepped aside. As much as he wished that she wouldn't go, he knew that she would. There was something that kept her with Jay Manning. Something that they must not know. Something.. he thought.. that they needed to find out.

Olivia sighed slightly and ran her fingers through her hair before stepping out of the room. She walked back into the squad room where she found Dawn, still on John's lap, eating a twizzler. She smirked slightly, but said nothing as she shook her head.

Cragen, Fin and Elliot followed out behind Olivia. Cragen raised an eyebrow up at Dawn with the twizzler and John smiled at him inconspicuously.

"Sorry Cap, but Dawn here raided your twizzler bin while you were away, I think the kid could smell candy a mile away," John stated with a grin.

Cragen chuckled, but smiled nonetheless.

"At least someone in this squad room likes them," he stated with a smirk.

He gave Olivia's arm a gentle squeeze before going back into his office. A few moments later, he poked his head back out the door.

"Olivia, you might want to make sure she doesn't eat them all and get a sugar rush," he stated before closing the door.

Olivia glanced in Dawn's pocket and almost laughed. Her daughter had about twelve shoved in there. She couldn't imagine how she'd even managed three let alone that many.

She smiled. "Dawn.. go knock on the door and say thank you."

Dawn got off John's lap and skipped over to the door she saw the man go through. And then she knocked on it.

"Thank you!" she called out to the door.

It made nearly everyone laugh, and Olivia smiled and simply shook her head again.

"Wait til' he opens the door, sweetie."

Dawn blinked. "Oh.."

She stood there quietly, rocking back and forth on her feet when the door opened. She grinned up at Cragen.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed again.

Cragen grinned. Dawn was too adorable. And not to mention, she was Olivia's daughter. That made the child almost too irresistible to be mad at her. He laughed and nodded.

"Glad you like them kiddo."

Dawn grinned and nodded, giving Cragen's leg a big hug before running back to Olivia and gripping onto her pants leg.

Olivia chuckled but said nothing. Her face nearly turned completely when she saw Jay walk out of the interrogation room. All eyes were on him now and she watched as he came straight to her.

"Let's go, Olivia," he told her.

He grabbed her arm and began leading her out along with Dawn, paying no mind to the way she was looking back at everyone in the squad room.

**&&&&&&&&&&**

**How was it? I know. Alerts are down. But hopefully they'll be up soon. Glad you're all still enjoying it :) there's going to be some more twists coming in soon, I promise.**

**-Kay**


	4. Running Back To You

**A/N**: So. There's this thing. I call it a chapter. And ya'.. it's new. :)

**Chapter 4**: Running Back To You

Olivia sat at the edge of her couch with Dawn sitting on her lap. She was blatantly ignoring the way Jay was pacing back and forth in front of her. She smiled down at her daughter who was currently bouncing happily on her lap without any real care in the world.

"What made you come back with me?" Jay finally asked once he had stopped his pacing.

Olivia glanced up at Jay. She said nothing and simply looked back down at Dawn.

That seemed to answer the question well enough for Jay. He sat down beside her and was silent for a couple of minutes.

"I'll put Dawn to bed," he told her, reaching for the child in Olivia's lap.

Dawn shook her head. "Don't wanna," she stated defiantly.

Olivia frowned immediately at the look she saw on Jay's face. She knew you didn't say no to Jagger Manning, but Dawn was just a child, and she didn't know any better.

"It's time for bed sweetheart.." she told her daughter, kissing her on the top of the head.

Again, Dawn shook her head.

"But I don't wanna sleep," Dawn told them. "I wanna go back and play with Mr. Munch!"

Olivia froze. This wasn't good and she knew it. Her eyes widened when she saw Jay's hand raise, and she quickly placed Dawn behind her and caught Jay's hand that was heading towards her daughter.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jay questioned angrily.

Olivia didn't flinch at the anger she saw in Jay's eyes, almost as though she'd regained her senses and gone straight back to being an SVU Detective, staring eye to eye with a perp. Then again.. maybe that had never changed.

"I don't care what you do to me if it helps keep my friends, and my little girl safe," she told him. "But I won't let you lay a finger on my little girl.."

Olivia was silent, and again, she didn't flinch when Jay's fist made contact with her cheek. She noticed Dawn run into the other room with a card in her hands, but she was positive that Jay hadn't noticed, or that he didn't really care.

Jay was pissed. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the couch. His fist was heading for the stomach , but something she said seemed to make him freeze, and stop himself to hear her say whatever it was because he hadn't heard it.

"What did you say?" he asked her.

Olivia was silent.

"Tell me what you just said," Jay demanded.

Olivia frowned. "I said I was sorry," she stated, unwilling to say again, what she had originally said.

Jay stared at her questioningly for a moment before letting her go and dropping her back down on the couch.

"I'm going to bed," he told her. "I expect you see you up there soon."

Olivia simply nodded and watched him go up the stairs. Her head turned slightly as Dawn came to her with the phone in her outstretched hands.

"The lady says to put you on Momma," Dawn explained to her mother.

Olivia gave her daughter a confused look, but took the phone from her daughter anyways.

"Hello?" she questioned.

"911 operator," the woman's voice said. "Is everything okay ma'am?"

Olivia froze for a second time that night. Her eyes glanced down to her daughter and the look on Dawn's face said everything that she needed to know. Her daughter was scared of Jay.

"Could you please transfer me to Detective Elliot Stabler of the Manhattan SVU?" she asked the operator.

"Right away ma'am," the woman answered immediately.

Olivia stared emptily at the stairs that led up. With her luck, Jay was going to come down any moment and realize what she was doing. But she certainly hoped that he didn't. After a noise upstairs, she immediately hung up the phone.

&&&&&&&&&&&

"Ma'am, Detect--" the woman started.

She glanced at the screen that was in front of her. The woman had hung up. A couple of years doing this job made her realize that this woman had definitely needed help from somebody. The problem was, for some reason, she didn't seem to get any information on where the call had come from, or who.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot sat on the couch in the living room of his apartment. He couldn't get Olivia's face out of his head as she saw Dawn get up on top of the desk and jump off on to Munch's lap.

_Dawn giggled. "CALABUNGA DUDE!" she yelled, and jumped off the desk and onto John's lap._

_Olivia's mocha eyes were bigger then a saucer for a moment before she breathed out a sigh of relief. She shook her head slightly and walked over to Dawn and John and gave John a small smile before squatting down to be eye-level with her daughter who was sitting in his lap._

"_What did mommy tell you about jumping off of high places?" she questioned her daughter._

_Dawn whined. "But it wasn't high!"_

_Olivia held back a smile. "What does mommy consider high?" she asked._

"_Anything over my head.." the little girl stated._

_Olivia chuckled. "That's a girl."_

The little girl's innocence made him smile, and her face, she was the spitting image of Olivia.

A knock on his front door forced him out of his daze and he stood up, wandering to the door. He looked through the peephole and was shock at who he saw standing on the other side of his door, but quickly opened it nonetheless.

"Olivia?" he questioned.

Sure enough, she was standing right there in front of him, Dawn fast asleep in her arms. The bruise on her Olivia's face told him everything that he needed to know, and he moved aside to let her in.

"Come in," he said, without the need for any information from her just yet. "I'll show you where to put Dawn."

Olivia nodded and silently followed Elliot down the hallway and to the guest room. She felt like an intruder by just coming the way she did, but she had little to no choice, he was the only person she could feel safe with. The room, it seemed, had been for the twins, and she almost managed a smile at the thought of Elliot's kids. After Elliot pulled the comforter back, she laid Dawn down and pulled the blanket over her, kissing her lightly on the forehead before following Elliot out of the room.

"Thank you.." she whispered, almost too quiet to even hear.

Elliot smiled and nodded at her, leading her back into the living room.

"Did you want to tell me now, or in the morning?" he asked her as a concerned friend, and not as a detective.

He knew she might not be up for talking just yet.

Olivia sighed. "He never tried to hit Dawn before.." she admitted. "He knew I'd never stay if he did."

Elliot frowned, but he understood.

"He just lost it after today though," she explained.

Elliot placed his hand gently over the side of her face where a bruise was still forming.

"That's how you got this?" he asked her knowingly.

For a moment, Olivia felt a slight heat rise up into her cheeks, but a second later it was gone and she simply nodded to answer his question.

Again, Elliot frowned. "Why didn't you leave before now?"

Olivia looked down and shifted slightly. "He told me that he would kill her," she explained. "I could take that chance.."

"He's raped you.." Elliot said, more as a statement then a question.

"Yes.." she answered quietly.

Elliot glanced down at the hallway to the guest room where Dawn was asleep.

"Then she.." he started.

"Dawn isn't his.." she replied quickly.

Elliot's eyes moved quickly to Olivia's. If Dawn wasn't Jay's daughter, then whose was she?

Olivia could see the questioning look that shone in Elliot's blue eyes. Sure, she knew that Dawn wasn't Jay's daughter, but she hadn't told Jay that.

"She's ours.." Olivia stated quietly before looking down at the floor.

Elliot's look was one of surprise. It was obvious that he hadn't expected her to say that. He wasn't exactly unhappy about it. He was simply unsure of how to react.

Olivia was silent, not even daring to look up.

"Hey.." Elliot stated. "Liv.."

He used his hand and lifted her chin to get her to look him in the eyes.

"That's not a bad thing Liv.." he told her with a smile. "I just never thought I'd hear that again.."

Olivia frowned, attempting to look away.

"What is it, Olivia?" he questioned curiously.

"There's something else.." she whispered.

Elliot stared into her eyes, waiting for her to continue, urging her on.

"I'm pregnant.."

Elliot sucked in a breath, but nodded.

"You're going to be fine Olivia," he told her. "I'll help you get through this, and I won't let him come near you again, you hear me?"

For once, Olivia's lips curved upwards into a small smile.

"Thanks.."

Elliot nodded. "You know I'll always be here for you Olivia.. you just have to give me the chance," he told her, smiling back at her.

Olivia looked down, and shook her head.

"I just feel like I'm intruding.." she explained quietly. "You guys tried to help me once already.. and I ignored it and left with the man whose been killing me inside.."

She stopped talking, realizing what she'd just said. She wasn't used to admitting things so freely to anyone, not even to Elliot. And she certainly hadn't meant to word it the way she did.

Elliot's eyes softened a lot when he noticed the look that crossed Olivia's face. He knew, she'd just admitted to him, something she could hardly admit to herself before now. Once more he placed her hand on the side of her face, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.

"You're my best friend Olivia.." he told her. "I don't care if we're seventy and you put your dentures in my cup, you'll never be intruding on me.."

A full-on grin curved onto Olivia's lips.

"Was that intended to be funny.. or romantic?" she asked him.

Elliot chuckled. "I'm not really sure.."

A small laugh escaped her lips as well.

"Well thanks.. either way," she replied, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to share the room with Dawn.." she told him. "We'll go to the precinct with you in the morning.."

Elliot nodded and watched as she stood up, placing a kiss on his forehead and then heading down the hall and into the guest room. He silently wondered if she realized what she'd just done.

**&&&&&&&&&&**

**I sure hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll see if I can get more soon. But this is the all for now!**

**-Kay**


	5. Where I Wanna Be

**A/N**: This new thing, is what I call my new chapter, and you can read it if you like :)

**Chapter 5**: Where I Wanna Be

Olivia had been fast asleep, for once in the past five years. She hadn't slept with the feeling of safety in all that time when she'd been stuck with Jay Manning, and God knows she was thankful for the moment. She opened her eyes though when she felt someone climbing up into the small bed with her, and smiled at Dawn.

"Can't sleep hunny?" Olivia asked her daughter.

Dawn shook her head and snuggled up against Olivia.

Olivia frowned. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"Is daddy a bad person?" she questioned her mother.

Olivia froze, thinking the question through. How did she answer that? She sighed slightly, and hugged her daughter close to her.

"Daddy.. just doesn't always understand right from wrong," Olivia explained.

"Why not?" Dawn pushed.

Olivia's eyes softened slightly and she kissed Dawn on the top of her head.

"Because sweetheart, he doesn't want to."

"Daddy said you were a bad person.." Dawn told her mother. "Is that why he hit you?"

Olivia was silent. Jay had actually stooped to a level beyond what she would have thought him capable of. Now she was the bad person?

"No, Dawn," Elliot stated from the doorway. "Your mom is a great person."

Olivia's eyes glanced up at Elliot with a silent thank you.

Elliot merely smiled in response.

"Momma's a great person," Dawn mumbled and she snuggled further up to Olivia. "I think so too.."

Olivia's expression was one of amusement mixed with motherly love.

"Good night, Sugar," she whispered, kissing her on the forehead. "Love you."

"Love you too, Momma."

&&&&&&&&&&&

Elliot smiled as he watched the last interaction between mother and daughter. There was something about the fact that it was Olivia and her daughter, that made the scene so much more then it was. He watched as Olivia waited a few minutes for Dawn to fall asleep before she got up and made her way out to him.

"You really are amazing, you know that?" he asked her once she was in front of her.

Olivia frowned and stared down at the ground.

"What do I do?" she asked him. "What do I even tell her?"

Elliot could see the fight Olivia was having with herself over this. But she had a point. How did you tell a four-year-old little girl that her father, wasn't her father, and that he was a sick and abusive man? The fact was. You couldn't. And he knew, that Olivia knew that.

"There's nothing to tell her Olivia," he explained. "She knows you're a good person, and from what she saw, 'daddy' hit you. That makes him bad in her eyes," he told her, cupping her face with his hands. "She may be four, but unlike her father, she knows right from wrong."

Olivia stared into his eyes thoughtfully as he told her all of what he did. He was right, of course, and she knew he was. But it didn't change anything. She was, in a sick way, Jay Manning's wife, and she supposed that was what had drawn her to go back to him, when she'd finally had the choice not to.

"That's because her real father is an amazing man.." she replied, her eyes falling to the floor.

Elliot frowned slightly and pulled her to him immediately, holding her in a tight embrace.

"None of this was your fault, Olivia," he whispered into her ear. "You protected her, and kept her safe," he stated. "What more could anyone ask of you then that?"

She was shaking in his arms again. Again, he thought she was crying. And again, like the day before, when he looked at her face, he saw no tears.

"I'm just like her.." she whispered. "I'm going to be worse.."

Elliot was baffled. What did Olivia mean by that?

"Like who Olivia, worse then who?" he asked her.

But then it hit him. Like a sudden sucker punch to the face, it hit him. He knew exactly what she meant, and it only caused him to hold onto her tighter.

"You're nothing like her, Olivia," Elliot told her, running his fingers through her hair soothingly. "You are your own person, Olivia," he explained, kissing the top of her head. "And you've got things your mother never had."

Olivia said nothing, trying to understand what he meant.

"You've got your daughter, Olivia," he told her. "You've got a little girl in that room and she means the world to you."

Olivia was still silent, but she nodded in acknowledgment.

Elliot smiled. "But you have so much more then that," he told her. "You still have all your friends, and most of all Liv, you're always going to have me."

For the first time in a long time, tears finally came from her eyes as she allowed herself to cry. She hadn't been able to hold it in any longer.

"I'm so sorry Elliot.." she whispered between the sobs that had caught up to her. "God.. I'm so sorry.."

"Don't be," Elliot replied, lifting her chin with his hand. "Because did everything you could and more to keep that little girl safe, and there is nothing, and Olivia, I mean nothing, that could make me happier," he explained to her. "You're safe, and that's what's important to me."

The realization hit her hard.

"Oh God.." she mumbled out. "He's going to kill her.. he's going to kill you," she choked out. "Oh God.. what have I done?"

She immediately pulled away from Elliot and backed away, the tears enveloping her face.

"It's all my fault.. God it's all my fault.." she whispered out even as Elliot followed her towards the living room. "He'll kill her.. he will, and it's all my fault.."

She fell to the floor on her knees as the tears continued. So many tears that had been left unfallen over the years, over the years where she had learned to cry without the tears.

Elliot followed her immediately to the floor, gathering her in his arms and holding her close. He'd been right in his thoughts. Olivia wasn't the same person she had been five years ago. She was a mother now. A mother, who thought she just signed the death certificate of her own daughter.

"He won't touch her, Olivia," Elliot stated. "I won't let anyone near your daughter.." he told her. "Our daughter.."

Elliot still held her even after her body had stopped racking with sobs. Even after he was sure that she had stopped crying and fallen asleep. It had been obvious, that it was the first time in all the time he'd known her, that Olivia had cried, and not held back.

&&&&&&&&&&&

When Olivia had woken up later that morning, she was still wrapped in Elliot's arms. Only now they were on the couch. She had broken down. Lost her edge. It wasn't something that had ever really happened to her after her teenage years. She glance at a clock and realized Elliot would probably be getting up soon.

Truthfully, she woke up with a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. An indefinite feeling of uneasiness. And she supposed that was her reasoning for untangling herself carefully from Elliot's arms and making her way to the door of the room her daughter was asleep in. She didn't remember closing the door..

She pushed it open quickly, and could feel instantly that something had to be off. She walked to the bed, and noted that Dawn was perfectly fine, sleeping soundly as she cuddled with the blanket. She sighed slightly, either in relief or annoyance with her own frazzled mind.

She shook her head slightly at herself and turned, walking back out of the room.

"Momma.." Dawn whispered.

Olivia turned and saw her daughter staring at her from the bed.

She smiled and walked back to the bed, kneeling beside it and pushing some stray strands of hair out of Dawn's face.

"Yeah sweetie?"

"We won't go back right?" Dawn asked. "I don't wanna go back," she told her mother. "I like it here."

Olivia smiled again. "I'd never make you do something that you didn't want to do," she explained to Dawn, kissing the top of her head.

Dawn held her arms out sleepily to Olivia.

Olivia chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her daughter into her arms.

"What have I always told you, Dawn?" Olivia asked her daughter.

Dawn seemed to think about it as she laid with her head on Olivia's shoulder.

"That it's me an' you against the world, Momma," Dawn said with a giggle.

"That's right, and as long as I've got you, I've got what?" she asked next.

Dawn giggled again. "Your world!"

Olivia grinned. "That's right, as long as I have you, I'll always have my world."

&&&&&&&&&&&

It was only a mere two hours later when Elliot walked into the precinct with both Olivia and Dawn. And the moment they both stepped into the squad room, all eyes seemed to be on them. Some were shocked, some were confused, and others just didn't know what to think.

Cragen glanced over, and a smile graced his face for the first time since they'd learned of Olivia's situation with Jay Manning.

Olivia caught his eyes and smiled slightly in response.

He waved her in towards the office and stood by his desk, watching as she complied and came into his office, leaving Dawn to play with the other detectives and shutting the door behind her.

"I have to say Olivia.. I didn't expect you to--"

He was cut off, and surprised by the sudden fact that she'd wrapped her arms around him. He hadn't expected it to say the least, but he wrapped his arms around her nonetheless.

"I'm glad your back.." he stated instead.

"Me too.." she replied. "Me too.."

**&&&&&&&&&&**

**Mmhm. So yeah. This is what I worked up for this chapter. I'll just come up with some more drama or angst tomorrow or something, mmk? I needed a somewhat happier chapter. One lighter-hearted.**

**-Kay**


	6. Point of No Return

**A/N**: I know guys, I keep on going away. But I was on vacation, and my personal life hasn't left me much time. Not to mention I've been having quite a few internet problems since I've moved. It's pretty horrible.

I'll do my best to keep up with this again. I promise.

**Chapter 6**: Point of No Return

It was early afternoon and even though Olivia had the chance to take Dawn and go back to Elliot's, she didn't go. Instead she found herself sitting across from the new detective. Or.. new to her that was. Though, she could tell that he was as confused as to who she was as she was about who he might be.

She simply smiled at him. "Olivia Benson," she told him.

He smiled back. "Lance Perry," he said, then realizing who she was. "I'm glad you're okay Detective Benson."

Her eyes softened slightly at the tone that Lance's voice seemed to take once he had remembered where he had heard of her from. She thought he must have been fairly good with victims considering the way he changed once he'd figured it out.

"Thank you," she stated simply, before looking away from him.

"You're not okay, are you Detective?" Lance asked her.

Olivia was silent as she stared at him. Her eyes were staring directly into his, debating on whether or not she even trusted him. Something, for some reason, told her that she could.

"No," she admitted, glancing down at her now sleeping daughter in her arms. "No, I suppose that I'm really not," she told him.

Lance seemed surprised by what Olivia said to him. From what he'd been told, he had expected immediate resistance, and sudden stiffness in her. But instead, she had answered him truthfully, blatantly leaving herself open. He'd heard.. that she kept personal things, just as they were called. Personal.

He gave her another smile. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"No," she told him bluntly. "But thank you," she said next.

Lance eyed her when he saw her face start to pale out slightly. And he wasn't the only one to notice the sudden change. He, Elliot, and Fin all seemed to catch the look, and they all turned to see what it was she was staring at.

Jay Manning was standing at the door. And it was, by all obvious means, an unhappy look on his face.

"Olivia," Jay snapped out. "Get your ass out of that chair and let's go.. now."

Olivia did indeed stand. And for a moment, she felt the urge to comply with what he'd asked her, but when she glanced down at the little girl in her arms, she knew better.

Elliot stepped in front of her, blocking Jay's view of Olivia.

"Think again Manning," Elliot stated. "You're out of chances to ruin her life, so you can either leave now, or we can arrest you for assault."

"I don't believe you can make decisions for my wife and daughter," Jay stated.

Olivia frowned and stepped out from behind Elliot.

"I'm not going with you, Jay," she stated defiantly.

Jay sneered. "You can't keep her from me, Olivia," he told her. " And you're never going to be free of me."

Olivia could only stare at him in silence. She knew her was right. In a way, Jay Manning would always be stuck in her head.

"When you sleep, I'll be in your nightmares, and when you're awake, you'll always have that fear that I'll be right around the corner, Olivia," he explained with a smile. "And guess what?"

Olivia took a deep breath. "What?" she asked him.

"I wouldn't turn those corners alone if I were you," Jay stated before turning around. "Oh, and one more thing."

Olivia waited for it.

Another smirk. "Even at the slightest touch of another man, you and I both know, you'll still see me as the one on top of you at the end of the day."

Even as she heard him say it, she glanced at Elliot's hand on the small of her back. Self-consciously, she shrugged his hand away almost immediately, a look of hate mixed with disgust coming to her face as she stared at Jay's back while he walked out.

Elliot glanced at Olivia. Even if no one else had noticed, her certainly had. He could see the way Jay got to her. He could see the effect his words had on her almost immediately. For the first time, he could see the effects the words of a rapist could have on one of his victims. And he wished to God that he never had to witness it again.

"Olivia.." he stated.

"I'm fine.." she responded quietly, cutting him off. "I'm fine.."

Elliot watched her reaction, and as much as he wished he couldn't, he understood why she had responded in that way. It was her way of throwing the subject away. It always had been. He smiled at her in understanding, and he was glad when he saw her smile back at him in return.

"I'm sorry," Olivia apologized. "I didn't really mean to do that.. it was just.."

Elliot nodded knowingly. "An automatic reaction to what he said to you, I know.. and I understand, Liv." He shook his head. "You know you never have to explain yourself to me."

Olivia sighed and glanced back toward the door that Jay had left through. That same feeling of uneasiness that she'd had in the morning when she checked on Dawn, had returned. In fact.. it had never left. And the moment that Jay walked through the door, the feeling had gotten worse.

"I'd tell you to take her home to your apartment, Elliot," Cragen said. "But we've still got some interviews to finish up and I can't afford the time it will take," he explained.

Olivia shrugged. "I can go by.."

"No," Cragen cut her off immediately. "You will _not_ go by yourself, is that understood?" he questioned.

Olivia froze. The detective seemed to come out of her in response to her captain.

"Yes, sir.."

Elliot and Fin smirked.

"I won't make you stay, let me get Maureen come pick you up and take you back to my place.." Elliot stated and went over to his phone.

Olivia wondered just what it was that Elliot's daughter even thought about her anymore. She sighed and sat down at the desk once more, glancing at Lance Perry who was looking at her in a confused manner.

"What?" she asked him, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Lance scratched his head embarrassedly.

"It's just.. you're nothing like what people said," Lance shrugged out.

Olivia tried to hide a smile, but couldn't seem to do so. Instead she shook her head. She knew exactly what people had always thought of her. And she was positive that their views probably weren't ever going to change until they took a chance to bother caring.

"When it comes to judging people, this precinct isn't really know for their best profiling cops," she said with a whisper of amusement in her voice. "I can probably quote exactly what people said about my and my personality."

Lance glanced at her, interested. "Oh really?"

Olivia smiled. "Oh yes.."

"You're on.. what do they say about you?" he asked her.

Olivia let out a small laugh, quiet enough not to wake Dawn.

"I'd guess.. they call me cold, an ice-queen, and they probably told you that I keep everything to myself, that I keep my personal business to myself," she stated with a shrug. "Oh.. and I'm probably a lesbian in their sick little minds as well."

She grinned when she saw the look of shock cross Lance's face, and when he opened his mouth, she continued.

"Though, some would say I'm not a lesbian, I just don't keep my men for more then a few days," she stated. "Good news is, I've never heard any of them talking about me sitting down on the top of the fence."

A full-on laugh came from Lance, he just couldn't help it. The things she said, were just as cops had said. It amazed, and in some ways, shocked and amused him. How did she not care what all of these people thought of her?

"And you don't care that this is what people think of you?" he asked.

Olivia shrugged, laying her head down on her daughters shoulder.

"I suppose I do, to a certain degree.." she admitted. "But just because they believe something about me, isn't going to make it true," she stated. "They can think what they want about me, it's their right, I don't have to like it, but I'm not going to waste my time pretending that what they think effects me."

Lance frowned. "But it does effect you.."

Olivia smiled faintly. "They don't know that."

"If they did, they'd stop," Lance told her. "Why don't you let them know it bothers you?"

Olivia shrugged. "They wouldn't stop," she explained. "They'd find it amusing and come up with brand new things to say when they think I'm not listening. Instead, I'll listen to them say those things about me, they only serve to make me stronger."

Lance was amazed by what she said. She was as great as Munch always portrayed to him. Actually. She was better. She did care, she had feelings just like everyone else did. But.. just like everyone else. She had weaknesses, and it seemed to him, that Jay Manning had managed to exploit them five years ago, and he only continued exploiting them until they'd managed to find her.

Truth be told, he couldn't understand why Olivia wasn't completely broken after everything that she had been through. Instead, she was doing something he'd never seen a victim do before. She was sitting with everyone, laughing, making jokes, and being and all-around normal person. In her eyes he saw it though. The defeat.. the pain.. and the uneasiness about the future. In her eyes, he could see the victim, when on the outside, he saw someone perfect. How did someone keep up a facade like that?

"Are you okay?"

Lance glanced up. "What?"

"You've just been staring into space.." Olivia stated in response. "I wanted to make sure you didn't go off and have a premature heart attack."

Lance grinned and shook his head. "Nope.. not me, healthy as a horse I am," he told her, and banged on his chest a few times.

It earned a laugh out of Olivia as she shook her head.

"Maureen's here," Elliot said.

He walked over and put a hand on Olivia's shoulder. He was about to pull it away, remembering her earlier reaction, but instead Olivia just put her hand over his.

"Thanks.." she said with a smile before standing up and walking towards the oldest of the Stabler children.

Elliot watched her as she went to Maureen. He sighed and was about to go to his desk when he heard Lance say something.

"What?" he asked him.

Lance smiled. "I said, that you really care for her, and I can see it."

Elliot's eyes followed Olivia as she walked out of the squad room with his daughter.. or rather.. daughters.

"Anyone could have told you that, Perry," Elliot said with a smirk before walking back over to his desk.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Olivia was quiet as she got into the passenger's seat of Maureen's car. They were both quiet, and she didn't hold it against Elliot's daughter. How could she.. when she didn't know what to say either.

"How have you been?" Maureen finally asked.

Olivia hadn't expected it. In fact, she wasn't even sure how to answer her.

Maureen watched Olivia's face as her dad's old partner tried to come up with something to say that wasn't a complete lie. But she knew. She knew that it had to have been bad. She had never seen her father more determined then when Olivia disappeared five years ago. She'd never seen him so broken..

"You know.. I'm not a kid anymore Olivia," Maureen explained. "I know that whatever it was that happened to you, wasn't anything to be taken lightly, but I know these things now.. I understand them."

Olivia glanced over at Maureen. She gave her a faint smile before she glanced down at the movements of the little girl in her arms.

"You said we weren't goin' home momma.." Dawn mumbled out tiredly.

Maureen glanced over quickly before she put her eyes back on the road.

"We're not sweetie.." she told her daughter, kissing her on top of the head. "We're not.."

"Oh.." Dawn yawned out. "That's good," she said next. "Daddy's bad.. don't wanna go back."

Olivia ignored the look of shock that crossed Maureen's face at Dawn's comment. She didn't dare look in her direction. Instead she hugged Dawn closer to her, and stared out the window. She didn't want to go back either..

**&&&&&&&&&&**

**How was that? I sure hope it was good! I promise to keep up with you guys and my story once more! It's just been a drag in my personal life. But don't worry. I'll try and update extra soon! Thanks guys.**

**-Kay**


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